The Enforcement Directorate has attached 82 prime properties, 11 firms and 34 fixed deposits (FDRs) worth over Rs 120 crore owned by the accused (or their family members or associates) in the Rs 6,000-crore Punjab drug and money-laundering racket. Sacked Punjab Police DSP Jagdish Singh Bhola is said to be the kingpin of the racket.
The attachment of properties came after the accused failed to explain source of money used to purchase these. Most transactions were reportedly made in cash.
The ED ordered the attachment of these properties under Section 5 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after an exhaustive investigation running over a period one year.
The ownership of the attached moveable and immovable properties would remain with the accused for the time being. They would, however, not be able to effect any sale, purchase or other transactions in respect of these properties. They could approach the New Delhi-based Central Adjudicating Authority against the ED order.
The ED would confiscate these properties and firms after a confirmation by the adjudicating authority. The ED has apprised the state revenue authorities about specific details such as khasra numbers of these properties so that attachment could be entered in land records.
These properties allegedly belonged to Jagdish Bhola, Bittu Aulakh, Chunni Lal Gaba and his sons, Gurdip Manchanda, Canada-based NRI DS Nirwal, Avtaar Taari, Harpreet Singh or their family members or associates.
All of them were accused in the drug or related money-laundering cases registered by the Punjab Police and the Enforcement Directorate, separately. A house belonging to Chuni Lal Gaba’s manager Suresh Kumar has also been attached. In March last year, the ED attached Bhola’s properties with a registered value of Rs 14 crore.
Sixty-four of these properties, including plots, agricultural land and pharmaceutical units, allegedly belonged to Goraya-based controversial businessman Chuni Lal Gaba and his sons, ED officials said.
The Gabas allegedly enjoyed a close rapport with top Shiromani Akali Dal functionaries and were considered to be close to certain SAD ministers.
Ten attached properties belonged to Maninder Singh Bittu Aulakh in his own name or in the names of his wife and father. NRI DS Narwal’s properties included 15 shops in New Delhi, one plot in Jaipur and 4.865 hectare agricultural land in Ganga Nagar district of Rajasthan.
Two chunks of Bhola’s freshly attached agricultural land are situated at Bhalri village in Nangal Tehsil. Properties of Maninder Singh, alias Bittu Aulakh, and his family are located at Vairoke, Lopoke, Jhetan Kalan, Khairabad and Kombo in Amritsar.
The attached properties of Chunni Lal Gaba are located at Dosanjh Khurd (Phillaur), Phagwara Urban Estate, Mehli (Phagwara), Upmahal (near Kaloh village in Himachal Pradesh), land in the name of a fibre unit at Oyal village (Amb tehsil in Himachal), Rurkan Khurd (near Phillaur), Bahua (Banga tehsil), Mansoorpur, Hadiabad (near Phagwara), Jund (near Phillaur), Rurka Khurd (Banga tehsil), Kutbewal village (Phillaur), Barring village (on Jalandhar outskirts), Gadaipur (Jalandhar district) and Gagret (Amb Tehsil, of Una district.
The 11 firms and companies of Chunni Lal Gaba or his two sons that have been attached mainly deal in pharmaceuticals, fibre, real estate, cold storage, ice manufacturing and electrical equipment. Their worth is reported to be around Rs 2.75 crore. The 34 FDs attached are worth Rs 1.13 crore.
The attachment of properties came after the accused failed to explain source of money used to purchase these. Most transactions were reportedly made in cash.
The ED ordered the attachment of these properties under Section 5 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after an exhaustive investigation running over a period one year.
The ownership of the attached moveable and immovable properties would remain with the accused for the time being. They would, however, not be able to effect any sale, purchase or other transactions in respect of these properties. They could approach the New Delhi-based Central Adjudicating Authority against the ED order.
The ED would confiscate these properties and firms after a confirmation by the adjudicating authority. The ED has apprised the state revenue authorities about specific details such as khasra numbers of these properties so that attachment could be entered in land records.
These properties allegedly belonged to Jagdish Bhola, Bittu Aulakh, Chunni Lal Gaba and his sons, Gurdip Manchanda, Canada-based NRI DS Nirwal, Avtaar Taari, Harpreet Singh or their family members or associates.
All of them were accused in the drug or related money-laundering cases registered by the Punjab Police and the Enforcement Directorate, separately. A house belonging to Chuni Lal Gaba’s manager Suresh Kumar has also been attached. In March last year, the ED attached Bhola’s properties with a registered value of Rs 14 crore.
Sixty-four of these properties, including plots, agricultural land and pharmaceutical units, allegedly belonged to Goraya-based controversial businessman Chuni Lal Gaba and his sons, ED officials said.
The Gabas allegedly enjoyed a close rapport with top Shiromani Akali Dal functionaries and were considered to be close to certain SAD ministers.
Ten attached properties belonged to Maninder Singh Bittu Aulakh in his own name or in the names of his wife and father. NRI DS Narwal’s properties included 15 shops in New Delhi, one plot in Jaipur and 4.865 hectare agricultural land in Ganga Nagar district of Rajasthan.
Two chunks of Bhola’s freshly attached agricultural land are situated at Bhalri village in Nangal Tehsil. Properties of Maninder Singh, alias Bittu Aulakh, and his family are located at Vairoke, Lopoke, Jhetan Kalan, Khairabad and Kombo in Amritsar.
The attached properties of Chunni Lal Gaba are located at Dosanjh Khurd (Phillaur), Phagwara Urban Estate, Mehli (Phagwara), Upmahal (near Kaloh village in Himachal Pradesh), land in the name of a fibre unit at Oyal village (Amb tehsil in Himachal), Rurkan Khurd (near Phillaur), Bahua (Banga tehsil), Mansoorpur, Hadiabad (near Phagwara), Jund (near Phillaur), Rurka Khurd (Banga tehsil), Kutbewal village (Phillaur), Barring village (on Jalandhar outskirts), Gadaipur (Jalandhar district) and Gagret (Amb Tehsil, of Una district.
The 11 firms and companies of Chunni Lal Gaba or his two sons that have been attached mainly deal in pharmaceuticals, fibre, real estate, cold storage, ice manufacturing and electrical equipment. Their worth is reported to be around Rs 2.75 crore. The 34 FDs attached are worth Rs 1.13 crore.
